An attempt to repeat the success of an American programme that cut teenage pregnancies has failed in the UK, leading to an increase rather than a drop in the number of girls getting pregnant, according to an evaluation published today.

Claims that immigrants are given priority access to social housing were dismissed yesterday as a myth by the equalities watchdog.

A study for the Equality and Human Rights Commission found that social tenants who had moved to the UK within the past five years accounted for only 1.8 per cent. Some 87.8 per cent were UK-born and 10 per cent were foreigners who had lived in Britain for more than five years.